ince Holland VI was accepted in 1900, our submarines have evolved from small submersibles with limited capability to proven warfighters to today's nuclear-powered, multimission warships. A century of technological innovation, undersea exploration, and adaptation to changing strategic and defense needs have made today's Submarine Force ready to respond across the spectrum of conflict.

Noteworthy is the immense contribution
during World War II in which U.S. submarines
sank over 4,800,000 tons of Japanese merchant ships and 214 naval vessels. Fifty-two of the 288 U.S. submarines and 3,505 men who manned
them were lost.

In the Korean War, U.S. submarines consistently patrolled hostile waters on covert missions.

With the advent of nuclear power under
Admiral Rickover, our attack submarines became
the premier antisubmarine warfare (ASW) force and accomplished extremely sensitive missions of great importance to our national security. Strategic submarines made over 3,000 deterrent patrols during
the Cold War while safely and reliably controlling
the nuclear weapons under their responsibility.

Today, the Submarine Force enters its second century of service conducting complex operations demanding a stealthy, mobile, high-endurance platform with great firepower. This dominant undersea force is manned by extraordinary people with superb support forces and backed by the finest families.

7 SepTurtle, a one-man submarine built by 34-year-old Yale graduate David Bushnell of Saybrook, Connecticut, unsuccessfully tries to attach a keg of gunpowder to the hull of HMS Eagle, Admiral Howe's flagship, anchored in New York harbor. However, the powder keg exploded in the harbor prompting the American General Putnam to exclaim, "God 'scurse 'em, that'll do it for 'em."

1801

3 JunRobert Fulton's submarine Nautilus dives to a depth of 25 feet and remains there for more than an hour.

1864

17 FebThe Confederate submarine H. L. Hunley is the first to sink an enemy ship in combat when it rams its spar torpedo into the hull of the Union screw sloop USS Housatonic off Charleston, South Carolina. Hunley sinks and is lost during escape transit.

11 AprJohn P. Holland sells his internal combustion, gasoline-powered submarine, Holland VI, to the Navy for $160,000, after demonstration trials off Mount Vernon, Virginia. This marks the official birth date of the U.S. Navy's Submarine Force.

17 DecUSS S-4 (SS 109) is rammed and sinks off Provincetown, Massachusetts. The inability to rescue trapped survivors leads to the development of the McCann rescue chamber.

1929

10 May"Momsen Lung" is tested by Lieutenant Charles Momsen and Chief Gunner C. L. Tibbals from a depth of over 200 feet.

1930

15 AugThe first submarine escape training tank is placed in operation at the Submarine Base, New London.

1933

The Washington Navy Yard makes twenty sets of quartz and steel echo-ranging equipment, a major development in sonar (SOund NAvigation and Ranging) technology.

27 OctUSS Porpoise (SS 172) is the first U.S. new construction submarine to have electric drive and high-speed diesel engines.

1935

The importance of submarine operations in the
Pacific, Caribbean, and the South Atlantic leads the Navy Department to install the first submarine air-conditioning system on board USS Cuttlefish (SS 171), in spite of space constraints.

1936

15 AprilThe keel is laid for USS Salmon (SS 182), lead ship in a new class designed to accompany the fleet. The Salmon-class boats, instead of having riveted hull joints, were of all welded construction.

1939

23 MayUSS Squalus (SS 192) sinks during a practice dive off the coast of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. By using the McCann rescue chamber, thirty-three men are saved.

1940

The Navy initiates construction of the long-range fleet
submarine (Gato class to be followed by the Balao and Tench classes). These boats become the "workhorses" of World War II.

1941

• United States enters World War II.

The first radar for submarines becomes operational.

7 DecThe Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, bringing the United States into World War II. U.S. submarines
are overlooked during the attack. The Submarine Force becomes indispensable while the rest of the fleet recovers.

10 DecUSS Seadragon (SS 194) and USS Sealion (SS 195) in Cavite, Philippines, are attacked by Japanese aircraft. Ensign Samuel H. Hunter in Seadragon is instantly killed, the first submarine casualty of World War II. Four men in Sealion are killed, and Sealion is so badly damaged that it is scuttled on Christmas Daythe first U.S. submarine destroyed in World War II.

15 DecUSS Swordfish (SS 193) torpedoes a large freighter for the first confirmed sinking of a Japanese ship by a U.S. submarine.

17 JanNautilus sends the historic message, "Underway on nuclear power," signaling a new era in both submarine warfare and maritime propulsion.

7 OctThe X-1, the U.S. Navy's first midget submarine, powered by hydrogen peroxide, is placed in service.

1956

18 MayConstruction of newly designed fast attack submarines (3) commences with keel laying of USS Barbel (SS 580). It has an Albacore hull form and a single propeller for improved submerged performance.

3 DecThe Navy terminates participation in the U.S. Army's Jupiter missile program and begins pursuing the development of the Polaris missile submarine.

1957

23 DecUSS Skate (SSN 578), the first submarine to be powered by the submarine fleet reactor, is commissioned.

Regulus II missile program is terminated to free funds for the Polaris project. SSGNs on order are recast as SSN-593-class attack submarines. Existing Regulus I submarines continue operations.

1958

3 AugNautilus is the first ship to pass beneath the North Pole, on a four-day, 1,830-mile voyage from the Pacific to the Atlantic.

6 OctSeawolf completes a sixty day, completely submerged 13,000 mile cruise. This demonstrates the submerged endurance of a nuclear-powered submarine for a normal war patrol.

1959

15 AprUSS Skipjack (SSN 585) is commissioned, the first submarine combining nuclear propulsion with the
Albacore hull form and the first submarine powered by the S5W reactor.

10 NovUSS Triton (SSRN 586) is commissioned. She is the first and only dual reactor submarine in the U.S. Navy.

4 JanUSS Halibut (SSGN 587), the first and only nuclear-powered, Regulus guided missile submarine, is commissioned.

10 MayTriton completes the first submerged circumnavigation of the Earth, following Ferdinand Magellan's route and covering more than 41,000 miles in eighty-four days.

20 JulyWhile submerged off the coast of Cape Canaveral, Florida, George Washington successfully fires two Polaris A-1 missiles with a range of 1,200 miles.

25 Aug USS Seadragon (SSN 584) charts the Northwest Passage and surfaces at the North Pole, where the crew plays baseball.
15 NovGeorge Washington departs Charleston, South Carolina, on the first operational deterrent patrol with the Polaris missile system.

1961

3 AugUSS Thresher (SSN 593) is commissioned at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, the first unit of what will be a class of fourteen submarines.

1962

2 AugSkate and Seadragon rendezvous under the ice and surface at the North Pole.

6 DecUSS Queenfish (SSN 651) is the first Sturgeon-class attack submarine to be commissioned.

1967

1 AprUSS Will Rogers (SSBN 659) is commissioned. This completes the building of the "41 for Freedom"
FBM submarines, two years ahead of schedule.

12 AugSubmarine Development Group One is established to prosecute deep submergence development. Captain A. G. Butler is first COMSUBDEVGRU One.

1968

At the height of the Vietnam War, the fleet consists of 932 active units, including 156 submarines (diesel and nuclear).

5 JunUSS Scorpion (SSN 589) is lost during her transit from the Mediterranean Sea to Norfolk.

17 AugUSS Dolphin (AGSS 555), a small, deep-diving, diesel-powered research and development submarine, is commissioned.

1969

27 OctNR-1, the Navy's only nuclear-powered deep diving research submarine, is placed in service.

1970

The first deep submergence rescue vehicle (DSRV), designed for quick deployment in the event of a submarine accident, is launched.

 Poseidon missile conversions begin on SSBN-616-class submarines.

1972

Design work begins on the Tomahawk cruise missile. This is the U.S. Navy's first cruise missile since Regulus. Design work begins on a submerged-launch version of the Harpoon anti-ship missile.

1973

16 FebThe Secretary of the Navy announces Bangor, Washington, as the initial base for Trident submarine operations. Trident is the third generation strategic missile system (following Polaris and Poseidon).

1975

27 JunUSS Tigrone (AGSS 419), the last surviving World War II fleet submarine in the U.S. Navy, is decommissioned.

1976

13 NovUSS Los Angeles (SSN 688) is commissioned at Newport News, Virginia, as the first of a new class
of attack submarines. She is outfitted with the S6G reactor plant.

21 MarThe first submerged test launch of the eight-warhead Trident D-5 missile is made by Tennessee off Cape Canaveral, Florida.

1990

USS Scamp (SSN 588) becomes the first nuclear-powered submarine to be dismantled as part of the U.S. Navy's Submarine Recycling Program at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. This program leads to a safe and effective process for disposing of decommissioned nuclear-powered submarines.

1 OctUSS Blueback (SS 581), the last diesel-powered attack submarine in the U.S. Navy inventory, is decommissioned.

19 JulUSS Seawolf (SSN 21) is commissioned in Groton, Connecticut. She is outfitted with the S6W reactor plant.

6 SepUSS Louisiana (SSBN 743), the 18th and last Trident-class submarine, is commissioned.

1998

11 DecUSS Connecticut (SSN 22) is commissioned.

Tomahawk cruise missile strikes from submarines against targets inside Iraq emphasize a shift from "blue water" operations to the littorals.

General Dynamics and Newport News announce a cooperative effort to build the SSN 774-class submarine. Each shipyard will build specific subassemblies for each boat.

1999

2 SepUSS Virginia (SSN 774) keel laying ceremony is held at Quonset Point, Rhode Island. With construction started at Electric Boat in Groton, Connecticut, and Newport News, Virginia, Virginia is the lead ship of a new class of attack submarines. She is expected to be completed in 2004.